The Carolina Panthers' youth movement has brought some impressive improvements in Year 2 under head coach Dave Canales. But if their Monday Night Football loss to the San Francisco 49ers taught them anything, it's that this squad — as presently constructed — is not ready to leap into contention just yet.
They remain too inconsistent for any other assumption. Head coach Dave Canales is still learning on the job, dealing with some harsh truths along the way. Carolina's long-term future looks promising, even though challenging this season might be a step too far when push comes to shove.